Planning is essential for any organisation’s success with marketing no exception. Ultimately you can only be confident that your objectives will be realised if you have a plan in place. Yet as with other aspects of marketing, many companies tend to plan on the hoof believing that things will come right as long as the perceived ingredients for success for their market are added.

However, as any chef will tell you just adding ingredients is only half the job!

Planning allows for a review of a company and a market to be undertaken in view of your objectives. Importantly, it allows for the likely failures that may result when a plan is implemented to be reviewed by presenting appropriate alternatives. Ultimately planning offers a step-by-step process that allows you to minimise risk, and potential financial losses, while at the same time maximising possible gains.